The present invention concerns a new and improved method of, and apparatus for, automatically taking-in a fibre layer in blow-room machines, wherein the fibre layer is pressed by a number of pivotable pedal levers distributed across the width of the machine, and loaded by a pressing device, against a take-in roll.
Now from German Pat. No. 1,091,011 and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,684 a device is known to the art wherein loose fibre material which is supplied from a transporting duct is placed against a roll using spring-loaded pedal levers. The pedal levers in this arrangement form a wedge-shaped take-in gap. If no material is present between the pedal levers and the roll, the gap closes to such an extent that further material which is subsequently supplied only can be taken-in or delivered into the narrow gap with extreme difficulties.
U.S. Pat No. 3,780,399 teaches a further prior art device wherein the pedal levers are provided with cams or stops in such a manner that the wedge-shaped gap does not close-up smaller than a minimum width.
These state-of-the-art devices have the disadvantage that after an interruption of the fibre supply, or if the material is changed, the taking-in of freshly supplied material into the wedge-shaped gap between the pedal lever and the take-in roll is not ensured and is left more or less to chance. If the taking-in operation does not occur automatically, then the fibre layer has to be taken-in manually between the pedal levers and the take-in roll. This operation is complicated and dangerous, and furthermore, causes unfavourably long machine downtime.